Procurement under pressure: Emerging governance issues in the procurement of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak of COVID-19 put healthcare institutions under enormous pressure to quickly procure medical supplies, such as surgical masks and disinfectants, forcing them to engage in new partnerships. Studies show that the successfulness of partnerships is affected by the balance between contractual and relational governance mechanisms. This raises the question if under pressure procurers rely more on relational conditions (e.g. trust) than contractual agreements, which could give rise to various governance issues. We combine insights from public administration, crisis management, and purchasing and supply management to shed light on these governance issues and discuss potential pitfalls.